This invention relates to an arrangement for use in food preparation.
In food preparation, it is common to use a cutting board for cutting up vegetables and a colander for rinsing and draining them. During draining, the colander, is, of course, placed in or over a sink. Typically, the colander is stored in a cupboard and the cutting board either in a cupboard or on top of a counter. The arrangement according to the invention provides for highly efficient and convenient use and storage of a cutting board and colander in association with a sink.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,964 of Shamoon, issued Aug. 16, 1977, discloses a cutting board which is provided with a cutting surface adapted for positioning over a sink basin. A flange depends from the front side of the cutting board for abutting engagement with the counter top whereby the cutting board can be secured by a person leaning against the flange. A wire mesh basket is adapted to be secured in an aperture formed in the cutting surface of the board. It is necessary to remove the basket to expose the aperture so that food trimmings can be deposited into the sink. Furthermore, if the rim and/or handles of the cutting basket extend above the top cutting surface, one has to be careful not to hit them with a knife which, of course, could ruin the cutting edge of the knife.
In the present invention, the cutting board is supported by the edge of the sink and the colander slides on rails at opposite sides of the sink whereby the colander can be slid beneath the cutting board so that food trimmings can easily be scraped off into the sink. Alternatively, the colander can be pulled out from beneath the cutting board, whereby chopped up food can be scraped off into the colander for rinsing and draining.
Canadian Pat. No. 338,445 of Howe, issued Jan. 8, 1934, discloses an arrangement comprising a drain drawer or tray which functions as a strainer and which can be slidably drawn in or out from one end of the sink. However, room has to be provided to draw out the drawer and a separate drain has to be provided (connected to the main drain). The arrangement is more complicated than the present invention and physically less attractive.